Explorations 2024 FAQ

What are the dates for Explorations 2024?

Explorations will take place between Thursday 13 June - Tuesday 18 June, 2024. Please note programming is scheduled through all listed nights.

When will tickets for 2024 be available?

Our final sale will take place in February 8 at 12pm GMT. A cancellation sale may be announced later in the year, if applicable.

Travel

Where is the festival located?

Explorations takes place in Dhërmi, a coastal village on the Albanian Riviera located between the cities of Sarandë and Vlorë. It is the most beautiful spot on the entire coastline and a true hidden gem. If you joined us before, you know this already!

What is the best route to get to Explorations?

There are two routes to get to Dhërmi:

The first option is via boat from Corfu, Greece to Albania, then a final leg to Dhërmi by bus. You can choose either a speedy option (1h15) or a standard option (2h30). The bus trip from the ferry terminal to the festival is around 50 minutes.

The second route is a 4-hour ride via minibus from Albania’s capital, Tirana. Flight times to Tirana are also under 3 hours from most major European cities.

How do I get from the airport to Corfu Port?

The best option is to take a taxi from the airport to Corfu Port (Kerkira). It takes about 15 minutes.​

Where can I find out transfer times?

Transfer times can be found in our planning guide.

When will you take my flight information for the transfers?

If you’re using taxis, we will let you know when we need your flight details, as well as how they need to be input.

Do you have to stay for the full week?

Due to the limited number of hotels in Dhërmi, the hotels closer to the festival have a minimum stay policy.

  • Hotels in the festival site: 5 night minimum
  • Hotels in Dhermi beach: 4 night minimum
  • Hotels in Perivolos: 3 night minimum
  • Hotels in Drymades: 3 night minimum

We recommend staying for the whole week to make the most out of your trip.

The programming is designed to give days to party, relax and explore the incredible surroundings. Besides the music, we also offer a range of holiday and wellness activities. Trust us, once you get here you won't want to leave!

I need to leave on Saturday or Sunday but I see that I cannot book transfers over the weekend with you, how can I get back to Corfu airport?

You will need to make your own arrangements to get home if you need to leave over the weekend.

Once in Saranda, you can take the ferry to Corfu port.

Can I explore Albania myself before or after the festival?

Absolutely, we strongly recommend going out and exploring the country either before or after the festival.

Please note that there is no car hire available in Dhërmi, but you can get a taxi to or from Saranda to hire a car and explore further.

Do I need a visa or travel permit to travel to Explorations?

As our guests travel from all over the world, we recommend that you visit your own Governments’ website, and research the visa requirements from your own country.

If you are travelling from the UK via Corfu please note that tourists from the UK will be able to travel to countries in the Schengen area, which includes Greece, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel as a tourist. Which includes attending cultural or sports events.

If you are travelling to Greece and other Schengen countries without a visa, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day limit. Visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.

If you are flying straight to Albania, please note that British citizens can enter and remain in Albania for a maximum of 90 days in every 6-month period without a visa. Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 3 months from the date of entry into Albania. ​

How does Brexit affect travel to Albania?

​The majority of Explorations customers travel to Explorations via Corfu. Please see the above question for more details about visa requirements for UK citizens. ​

What about health insurance?

While we cannot recommend specific insurance companies or policies, we advise that all our customers do extensive research around their own insurance policy to ensure they are covered extensively.

Tickets

I have questions about the booking process, what should I do?

We recommend reading through our “Planning Your Trip” page first, as we go into a lot of the specifics of what the booking process looks like and everything you need to know. If you still have questions, you can reach out to our customer service team at [email protected].

How much are tickets?

A festival ticket and hotel stay starts at only £330pp. Please note that all tickets to the festival are sold with accommodation, and the final price for the package depends on the hotel type, length of stay, and transfers.

Do you offer payment plans?

For the November presale, you can reserve your Explorations package with just a £75 deposit per person and pay the rest across multiple instalments and paydays. The specific dates will be communicated to you when booking.

The initial deposit must be paid by the person making the booking. Once the booking has been created, each person will be able to pay their balance separately. 

Please remember to make the necessary arrangements so the lead passenger has everyone's deposits ready when tickets go on sale!

What is the accommodation like?

There are options for everyone, from cosy 3* hotels to exotic beach huts and fancy 5* hotels, all at excellent prices. The majority of hotels are within the 3* and 4* range, with a small selection of other hotels.

Having your own shower and a comfy bed to rest after a little too much dancing is one of the aspects that make Explorations such a different festival experience. 

Does any of the accommodation come with a kitchen or cooking space?

Yes, we have a couple of options that have cooking facilities in the apartments. Check out the apartment descriptions when booking for full information.

How big are the rooms?

Most of the accommodation options hold 2-3 people, with the largest accommodation having room for 7 people in the February sale. We advise splitting larger groups across multiple rooms. You can always book a few rooms in the same hotel or hotels nearby to keep the group together.

Speak to your group and decide how you are going to split the rooms in advance so you know what to search for when tickets go on sale. Eg 3 rooms with 2 people in each room. 

Are there any options for solo travellers?

Yes there are some options for solo travellers although these are limited. We recommend booking as soon as tickets go on sale as these usually sell out quickly.

If you cannot find anything suitable, you can join the Explorations Find a Friend Facebook group to meet others and share accommodation.

How far is the accommodation from the festival?

There are 4 areas where you can stay: Festival site, Dhërmi, Perivolos and Drymades. 

HOTELS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE

Festival site: All of this accommodation is within the boundaries of the actual festival site. These hotels are within a couple minutes walk from the stages. As good as it gets! There are only a handful hotels here and are very sought after which means they sell out very quickly.

Dhërmi: All the accommodation around Dhërmi beach is also within a 5-10 minute walk from the stages. Hotels here are in high demand too and usually sell out quite quickly.

HOTELS WITHIN THE SHUTTLE BUS ROUTE

Drymades: The neighbouring beach to Dhërmi is a 10 minute drive away from the festival and offers a great selection of shops, restaurants and beach bars during the day.

Perivolos: The area in between Dhërmi and Drymades, only a 5-minute drive away from the festival site.

We operate a shuttle bus service between Dhërmi, Perivolos and Drymades so even if your accommodation is not within walking distance, it’s still easy to get to and from the festival site.

Can I buy tickets without accommodation?

All Explorations tickets are sold with accommodation. This helps to ensure everyone gets the best priced accommodation during the festival week in 2024 and the years ahead.

We aim to provide a smooth holiday experience, and being able to manage the accommodation for our guests helps us to ensure a stress free event for everyone. We charge hotels and apartments the same commission as AirBNB so this only makes your price better!

Mainstage Festivals reserves the right to terminate contracts of guests who book multiple rooms, either via Mainstage Festivals or a third party. If it is believed that there is intention of only using one of the rooms, and either leaving the other empty, or unlawfully reselling them without authorisation from Mainstage Festivals, we reserve the right to terminate your contract. Please refer to our terms for further information.

What happens if someone in my group can no longer make it?

Think of this as any other summer holiday. If someone can no longer make it, you can either find a replacement, or cover the cost between the remaining people in the group. In some cases it may be possible to change to a smaller accommodation, but this will always be subject to availability. Please reach out to [email protected] to get in touch with our customer service team to determine next steps.

If I have an empty bed in my room, can I add someone to the booking at a later date?

Yes, no problem! There are a few simple steps to follow to add a person to your booking if you have the space in your accommodation you will need to:

Head to the ‘change my booking’ tab on your ‘managed booking’ portal.

The system will then formulate a cost to add the new guest which includes the cost of the festival wristband.

The new guest will then need to pay a deposit to secure their place on the booking.

I have a query about the room I have booked, do I need to contact the accommodation directly?

Please contact our customer service team for any questions relating to your accommodation. We will liaise with the owners directly on your behalf and come back to you with more information. The email is [email protected]

Can I buy a ticket from someone else?

​Please remember that tickets for Explorations are sold exclusively via our website. If you purchase a ticket from elsewhere, it is likely to be fake. DO NOT buy tickets directly from people posting on social media as we anticipate scammers will be targeting our show in 2024.

We will not send out e-tickets until nearer the event so anyone claiming to have one is definitely fake. Tickets containing a QR code or a barcode are not legitimate.

If you are concerned or suspicious please email our customer service team at [email protected]

​Can I buy tickets if I'm local?

Local tickets will be available via our booking site nearer to the event. You can join the waiting list here for local tickets and we will notify you when these go on sale.

What is your cancellation policy?

You can read our terms and conditions here. ​

Festival information

What is the easiest way to get to Explorations from my accommodation during the festival?

Many hotels are within walking distance of Explorations. If you’re a little bit further away in the quieter parts of the Riviera, there will be a regular shuttle bus running to and from the festival for any guests staying in Drymades or Dhërmi town. Tickets for the shuttle buses can be purchased alongside your ferry transfers when they are launched.

What kind of amenities are available in Dhërmi?

Dhërmi is a small coastal village. There are medical services, bars, restaurants and several small shops. There is only one ATM in Dhërmi and another in Drymades. You will need cash for restaurants and local shops but the festival area (bars, festival market) are contactless.

What are the food/drink costs like at Explorations?

Restaurants are cheap and a meal will cost between 5€ - 15€. Some may increase their prices, but you’ll definitely be able to find cheap meals around the village.

Supermarkets are limited but do sell alcohol. Drink prices will vary from bar to bar ranging from 4€ - 8€ euros depending on the drink.

Explorations is a cashless festival and all bars as well as a selection of restaurants and food stands will only accept payment from your wristband. More information about this will be shared closer to the event.

Besides the music, what else is available?

We’ve designed the festival program to give you plenty of time to explore Dhërmi and enjoy the beach. Returning in 2024 will be our popular wellness program, Gjipe Beach parties, and Poolside Sessions. Gjipe parties and Poolside Sessions will run daily from Friday 14 June through Tuesday 18 June. We will hold a special extras sale specifically for these events. Full lineups and more information to come.

We’ve also got a range of new activities and adventures available for you. More information will be shared on that soon.

Music

Where can I find the lineup?

Head to the Explorations homepage to see who's joining us! 

When are the main acts / headliners performing?

The main festival programming takes place between Thursday 13 June and Tuesday 18 June. Please note that the final night of programming goes into the early hours of Wednesday 19 June.

When are the running times of stages?

The full schedule will be released closer to the event. Expect music until the early hours!​

Accessibility information

Where can I find information about accessible accommodation?

Please email us if you have any access requirements on [email protected]

Where can I find information on the venues? 

We will provide viewing areas where possible for accessible customers and PA's only. The areas will have a good line of sight to the stage and seating if required.

Empire, Splendor, & The Cove are all accessible via ramps, although some parts of the venues are via stair access.

Unfortunately, Gjipe is not currently accessible for some mobility impairments as the boats are unable to safely load & unload due to rough seas and steep gangways.

Can assistance animals attend the event? 

Assistance animals are welcome within the festival site. Please note, some areas of the festival may not be suitable for an animal due to loud noise.

Proof may be required that the assistance animal is registered with a recognised body.